The story about the origins of the SUV has different versions, depending on who you speak to or from what perspective you look at it. Jeep may rightly claim that it entered the (American) market with a luxury off-road vehicle with the Wagoneer in the early 1960s much earlier than Land Rover, but Chevrolet states that with the Master it already had the body of a station wagon on the frame with the Master in the late 1930s. of a pick-up truck. However, if we only look at the European market, Land Rover with the Range Rover in the 1970s was not only the first, but also the only one in the segment of off-road vehicles that could be used daily and widely. We can therefore say without a doubt that Land Rover has played an important role in this history with the Range Rover and continues to do so to this day. First Land Rover was a kind of tractor Shortly after the Second World War, in 1949 to be precise, the Rover Company responded to the urgent need for strong and reliable vehicles for farmers and entrepreneurs with the Land Rover designed by Maurice Wilks. However, in the late 1960s, things were improving for both the UK and the rest of the world, so the need for less rudimentary utility vehicles arose. The success in the United States of recreational vehicles for adventurers, such as the International Scout, the Jeep Wagoneer and the Ford Bronco, also naturally impressed Rover management. People in England and Europe no longer wanted to use their Land Rover just as a kind of tractor, so broader applicability was the goal. Sober interior in the first Range Rover Comfort and luxury were far from being on the priority list, so the first Range Rover was given a sober interior in 1970 with vinyl upholstery and rubber floor mats, so that everything was easy to clean with a garden hose. Simplicity also played an important role in terms of technology, with a 3.5-liter V8 from the American Buick, linked to a four-speed manual transmission with transfer case and a chassis with rigid axles and coil springs. Until 1981, Land Rover only supplied the variant with two doors, but external parties such as the Swiss Monteverdi already supplied variants with four doors. Land Rover has followed suit, partly fueled by the increasing need for more comfort and luxury in the large 4×4 segment. P38A arrived in 1994. The first Range Rover managed to last until no less than 1996 and also proved to be a welcome alternative to the native models on the American market, of which at the end only the Jeep Wagoneer was actually somewhat successful. As early as 1994, when the first generation was still in production as a Classic, Land Rover launched the second generation Range Rover, which was internally known as the P38A. In terms of design, this model was clearly a follow-up to the successful first generation and again eight-cylinder and a six-cylinder diesel were the only variants to choose from. There was no longer a two-door variant of this model, because the focus was clearly on the luxury segment. Versions such as the Holland & Holland, 50th Anniversary, Linley, Bordeaux and Westminster were limited versions that appealed even more to the imagination through additional accessories, special color schemes and exclusive upholstery materials. This second generation remained in production until 2001, but the development of the third generation was a special affair. Due to the takeover of Rover by BMW, the Germans were in good spirits and started developing a Range Rover that had to be positioned even higher in the market. However, the relationship between BMW and Rover only deteriorated after the difficult takeover, with Rover eventually ending up in Chinese hands and Land Rover being taken over by Ford, where it became part of the Premier Automotive Group (PAG) led by Wolfgang in 1999. Reitzle. This was two years before the third generation Range Rover was ready for production, so a clause was included in the takeover contract that kept BMW involved in the development of the Range Rover. The model was given the internal code L322, launched in 2001 and was widely praised for its greatly improved driving characteristics thanks to the self-supporting body and independent suspension, both firsts for Range Rover. The 4.4 V8 petrol engine and six-cylinder diesel from Munich only remained in the range until 2005, when Ford already made major improvements and replaced the German power sources with Jaguar engines, because that brand was also part of the PAG. Range Rover therefore increasingly became a luxury brand, with off-road capabilities being of secondary importance. At this time, the first steps were also taken to make Range Rover a separate brand, with family expansion in the form of the Range Stormer concept, a two-door study model from 2004 that was a precursor to the later Range Rover Sport. Comparable to Bentley Bentayga The contrast between the first generation and the current Range Rover is reinforced by the fact that our test sample is a so-called Autobiography Long Wheelbase, which makes the wheelbase another twenty centimeters longer and the level of luxury is comparable to that of a Bentley Bentayga . This extra length benefits the legroom in the rear, where the rear seat can be divided into two individually adjustable seats by an electrically operated center armrest. The interior finish is of high quality and the sleek design contributes to the pleasant atmosphere. Everything is covered with fragrant leather, including window frames and headliner. The two screens in the dashboard are clear and concise in terms of operation, so you never have to search long for secondary functions, something that is sometimes a problem with some other cars in this segment. Especially in the case of new gadgets and gimmicks, more is not always better, as is evident in this richly equipped 4×4 colossus. Plastic dashboard There was absolutely no luxury with the first Range Rover, because it was downright sparsely equipped. The plastic dashboard is designed so that the center section can be used for both left and right hand drive models. The seats are covered with vinyl, while carpets are actually the only thing that can be described as luxurious. Although the seat behind the large, thin steering wheel is fine, the Classic naturally rocks like an old stroller, because air suspension was only introduced much later. The big difference in philosophy is that the current Range Rover is completely focused on luxury and status, while the first generation only had to be less spartan than a Land Rover. In that respect, both cars are very successful and offer exactly what buyers expect. Functionality While design is a matter of personal taste, you could argue that design director Gerry McGovern lays a template across all Range Rover and even Land Rover models. The pinched headlights and high, thin rear lights provide an extremely massive appearance, and you also see a lot of ‘look’ on the sides. This looks less subtle and friendly than previous generations, where the glass section was much more prominent, which provided a better overview of traffic and certainly also of the terrain. A Range Rover used to be a fairly reserved model for people who do not like to be in the foreground, but have a clear preference for class and quality. Since the L405 launched in 2012, Range Rovers appear much more expressive in design, with a deliberate emphasis on the brand’s premium status. Functionality has therefore been pushed to the background, which can be seen, for example, in the cooling slots, which were still in the front screens of the L322, but which were moved to the doors of the successor. This strong design-driven philosophy can also be seen in the more common models, such as the Range Rovers Sport, Velar and Evoque, but it makes the entire model line appear homogeneous, whether you like it or not. In that respect, the Range Rover is also an exception within the SUV segment, because no other model eventually managed to grow into a complete brand with different models. This makes the classic Range Rover the starting point of an enormous drive for expansion and therefore an important trendsetter in several respects. 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Source: www.autoweek.nl
